You have received a quest!

We, Erin and Stephen Solomon, want to open a gaming themed bar in the LSU area. If you need a break from studies, need a place to hang out and play Smash Bros, Battlefield, MtG, LoL or DotA, or just got beaten up by slimes and need a health potion, we want to help you out.

Think of an inn you would go to in your favorite classic RPGs. Our bar aims to capture the style and feeling of refuge from a cruel world filled with evil monsters such as electricity bills, sales quotas, and the princess in the other castle.

We're making a home for all the nerds and geeks in the city who need a place to game and drink with friends, but we need your help. It's a huge undertaking and I know we're asking for a lot. It's all worth it though, as everything will go into pulling Save Point Tavern from fantasy into reality.

Where the Money Goes

We've spent a long time researching the initial start up costs. There's a lot we have to buy from big things like the tables, bar, and ovens down to the silverware and point of sale software. The following chart displays our estimates for expenses on items:

This was using retail prices from online vendors for equipment. We can cut costs a little by searching for deals to give ourselves more of a cushion and spend a bit more on design. If we meet our goal earlier than the two months allotted for fundraising, stretch goals can cover better gaming tables, higher end computers, and perhaps an area dedicated to hosting tournaments.

For construction and leasing we're seeking loans to cover that side of the bill.

Gaming

For consoles we aim to have 10-20 stations which will seat up to six people equipped with a Playstation Neo, Xbox Scorpio, and Nintendo NX. (Original Wii also available for Melee.) We also plan to secure some older consoles for a bit of retro gaming.

For computer gaming, we'll have 4 high-spec computers, and 10 mid-range computers for moba/mmo gaming. Password security features will be in place for your peace of mind.

For board gaming we'll have 4 high end gaming tables suitable for anything from basic card games to D&D.

And of course everything will have a rich selection of games to choose from. If you pledge $500 or more, you can also ensure that we'll have your favorite game or campaign available. Though even without that, we're happy to take suggestions!

Noms

Erin makes delicious food! In addition to our normal fare of bar food, we'll have periodic specials with her recipes. Warm up in the winter with bacon leek and potato soup, enjoy classic Louisiana red beans and rice, or the best BBQ shrimp you'll ever eat.

Our Background

Stephen has five years of work experience in a bar kitchen, three years of experience as a game quality assurance tester, and fifteen of technical experience building and repairing computers. His focus will be ensuring the gaming equipment and network are always working and general management.

Erin has three years of work experience as a bartender, countless years in the kitchen as an amateur cook from parents who are amazing cooks themselves and 4 years of managerial experience including scheduling, inventory, ordering within the bar and in the kitchen. Her role will be the bar, human relations, customer service, overseeing kitchen prep/recipes as well as general management.

Fair Wage Policy

We understand the value of company loyalty, and we aren't rich ourselves. While to start employees will make near to the average, as Save Point Tavern moves into the black, our goal is to provide at least a living wage to everyone. Our scheduling format favors having full time employees vs part time, and we'll start our wait staff at min wage plus tips instead of the industry standard of $2.13 plus tips. Everyone will additionally be eligible for bonuses based on the performance of the business.

Our hope is this will result in employees who are satisfied with their jobs who can guarantee stellar service and will be faces customers can recognize every time they visit.